1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cooling systems for cooling electronic equipment, and particularly to a spray protection and detection device for use in a fluid-based cooling system.
2. Background and Objects of the Invention
The growth of the computer industry and telephony over the past few decades has been phenomenal. The integration of these technologies, for example, in telecommunications switching systems, has lead to greater and greater efficiencies as larger numbers of communications are handled by fewer components, which are typically housed in a central control room.
One problem inherent with all electronic equipment, telecommunications or otherwise, is temperature control. As is readily apparent, if telecommunications switching equipment or other electronic components are not effectively cooled, the internal temperature of the electronic components substantially increase, thereby leading to significantly reduced system performance and, in some cases, total system failure.
Conventional approaches to cooling the aforementioned central control or other such apparatus/equipment include fluid based cooling systems in which air is directed in the proximity of heat exchanger units or cooling coils having cooled liquid flowing therethrough. The air is cooled as it passes the cooled coils. By directing the resulting cooled air towards the equipment to be cooled, the internal temperature of the equipment is reduced, thereby allowing the equipment to operate more efficiently and with reduced risk of system failure.
The above mentioned conventional cooling systems employ piping elements to route the cooling fluid between the system components, such as between the pump unit and the cooling coils. One common problem with these cooling systems is that occasionally a break occurs in the interlinkage or seal between the piping elements, in the seal between the piping elements and the system components, and in the piping elements themselves. A break may cause the cooling fluid to drip or to spray outwardly from the system at the point of the break.
Because portions of conventional cooling systems, such as the cooling coils and the piping elements connected thereto, are located in close proximity to electronic equipment which the cooling systems are adapted to cool, a break in the cooling system may result in cooling fluid leaking onto the equipment. Especially in the case where portions of the cooling system are suspended above the equipment, a spray leak or a drip leak of any magnitude may seriously damage the equipment and pose a threat of electrocution to a nearby operator. Needless to say, the potential harm resulting from a fluid leak in a fluid based cooling system is quite sizeable and reaches far beyond concerns for the cooling system itself.
One approach utilized in the prior art to overcome the problem of leakage from overhead cooling systems is double containment of components such as hydraulic and piping connections, i.e., sealing the suspect connection within an outer pipe. Double encasing, however, is complicated and expensive to implement. Further, leaks are not detected in such systems.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a feature for a fluid based cooling system which minimizes fluid leakage from an overhead cooling system upon equipment therebelow.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fluid leakage feature which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and easily retrofitted into existing fluid based cooling systems.